Recording and transcribing other people: what to tell them, and what the law asks
A transcript of a conversation is a record of what other people said. Whether you keep the audio or not, you are capturing words they did not write down themselves — and in many places the law has something to say about that. The good news is that the fix is usually one sentence.
A transcript is a recording
It is tempting to think that transcribing is lighter than recording, because no audio file is kept. The people in the conversation will not see it that way, and it is safer to assume the law will not either. Treat a live transcript exactly as you would a recording.
In a cloud session the audio is also streamed to a third party — OpenAI — to produce the transcript and the answers. That is one more reason people deserve to know.
The rules differ by place
This is general information, not legal advice, and the details change; check what applies where you and the other people are.
- Some jurisdictions allow recording a conversation you are part of without telling anyone. Others require the consent of everyone in it — several US states, including California, among them.
- In the European Union, a recording or transcript of identifiable people is personal data under the GDPR, which brings obligations of its own, particularly for businesses.
- In Germany, recording someone's privately spoken words without their consent can be a criminal offence.
- Workplaces often have their own policy, stricter than the law, and so do many universities for lectures.
- When people are in different places — a video call across countries — the strictest rule among them is the sensible one to follow.
The one sentence
In practice almost nobody minds, as long as they are asked. Say it before you start the session, not halfway through:
“I'm using an AI assistant to transcribe this so I can listen instead of taking notes — is that all right with everyone?”
If someone says no, stop. If the conversation is sensitive, offer the version where nothing leaves the room: on an Apple silicon Mac, the session can run on local models.
Why it matters more on calls
When a meeting platform records a call, it usually announces it to everyone. An assistant running separately on your computer does not trigger that announcement, so the other participants will not know unless you tell them.
What the app does, and does not do, with it
Sessions run only while you keep them running; you start and end them. Transcripts, answers and sessions are stored on your device, with no cloud sync. The app's backend never receives the audio, the transcripts or the answers. Responsibility for asking permission stays with you — the app cannot know who is in the room.
Do I need permission to transcribe a meeting?
Often, yes — it depends on where you are and your organisation's rules. Asking everyone at the start is the simplest way to be on the right side of both.
Is a transcript without audio still a recording?
Treat it as one. It captures what other people said, and in a cloud session the audio is streamed to the model provider to produce it.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is general information. Check the rules that apply where you and the other participants are.
